In the 90s it stayed open whether the
Revolution was to continue or not. The
requests of the «feuillants» (liberal
nobility and people of the upper
class) were granted so that they
forced the end of the overthrow by
the constitution of 1791. The social
problems persisted and the call for
a redistribution of wealth still was
topical. The constitution of the 22nd
of September 1794 set up the Directory
which was the highest governmental body
of the French Republic. But it was
too weak to adjust the differences. Furthermore
the republic was threatened by
foreign powers. In 1793 the fall
of Paris lay ahead and the acts
of war on French territory caused
famine and crime. The advocate
Robespierre (1758-1794) chaired the
Committee of Public Safety which
was founded during this existential
crisis. The resistance which formed
in the country and was supported by
the Royalists has been put down by
continuous cruelty. From the 23rd
of August 1793 the levee en masse
was implemented. The nation was
able to defeat the foreign enemies
of the republic because of their
increased troops. The dangers
seemed to be averted but the
awareness that the achieved goals
could be endangered, evoked an
aggressive atmosphere of mistrust
and a disposition to use violence.